


Perfectly Normal

by elevenoclock



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Future Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-26
Updated: 2011-06-26
Packaged: 2017-10-20 17:53:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/215508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elevenoclock/pseuds/elevenoclock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cobb reads a bedtime story to his children, and receives a surprise visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perfectly Normal

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Session 3, Round 1 of The New Pub. The theme was "Literature", and this piece was written in 20 minutes for the prompt "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much". Join us every Saturday afternoon at http://thenewpub.livejournal.com!

[Original Link](http://thenewpub.livejournal.com/5084.html)

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."

Cobb put the book down as a flicker of movement caught his eye. He spotted Arthur immediately, leaning against the doorframe, hidden in the shadows. Phillipa tugged his arm, and he pulled the book back up, continuing to read.

James was asleep before The Boy Who Lived had arrived on his aunt's doorstep, but Phillipa watched him with bright eyes as he tucked her into bed, putting the book aside for the next night.

"Daddy," Phillipa said, voice soft with sleep.

Cobb ran a hand through her hair.

"Is there a magical place like Harry Potter, daddy?" she asked. "I want to go there someday. It's like a dream world. With Mr Dumbledore and his owls!"

Arthur stiffened out of the corner of his eye. Cobb had almost forgotten that he was there, listening silently to the book. "Yes," Cobb said after a long moment. "Like a dream. If you close your eyes now, maybe you'll be taken there, to a world where magic is real and flying motorcycles carry you around."

By the time he finished speaking, Arthur was gone from the door.

Phillipa curled up, content, and Cobb left her to her imagination. He carried James to his bed, tucking him in, and then wandered the house until he found Arthur in the kitchen, a glass of wine in his hand, hip cocked against the counter.

"How old is she now?" Arthur asked.

"Ten." Cobb poured his own glass of wine, waiting for the other man to speak first.

It was several minutes before Arthur did. "Sorry to let myself in," he said. "I thought the kids would be with their grandmother this weekend."

"She was called to Paris unexpectedly," Cobb said shortly. "You're not here for small talk, though."

"There's a job." Arthur set his wine down. "Low profile, three days tops. I've already got an architect, and I don't think a forger is required, but McCrary is in Vegas if we do."

"Not Eames?"

The look Arthur gave him could have cut diamond.

"You know I don't work anymore," Cobb stated.

"Yes," Arthur said. "And I know that's what you said when I brought you the last job. And the job before that."

Cobb glanced back down the hallway, to where Phillipa and James slept, dreaming natural dreams and living normal lives. They'd never know the magic of a shared dream, or the ability to change to world around you with the blink of an eye, the ability to build castles from the air and rain shooting stars instead of water.

"So you're in?" Arthur said.

Cobb nodded. His children might never know these things, but he did, and it was harder to let go of than he'd ever imagined.


End file.
